Receptacle for cards and providing a compartment for the personal use of operators



Feb. 23, 1943.

I E. J. WAY REGEPTACLE FOR CARDS AND PROVIDING A COMPARTMENT FOR THEPERSONAL USE OF OPERATORS Filed Aug. 11, 1941 El wzwdlway IN VEN TOR.

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 RECEPTAOLE FOR CARDS AND PROVIDING A COMPARTMENT130R THE PERSONAL USE OF OPERATORS Elwood J. Way, Washington, 1). 0.

Application August 11,'1941,-Serial'No. 406,444

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) 3 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manu-' factured and used by or forthe Government of the United States for governmental purposes withoutthe payment to me of any royalty thereon in accordance with theprovisions of the act of April 30, 1928 (ch. 460, 45 Stat. L. 467).

This invention relates to cabinets and has for its primary object theprovision of a cabinet with the maximum diversified and convenientseparate storage containers, the cabinet being of relatively smallover-all dimensions.

More particularly the invention has to do with improvements in cabinetsdesigned to meet the needs of tabulating machine card punchingoperators.

In the process of punching cards it has been found essential to providea suitable stand on which the forms containing data to be punched may bekept, a container for cards spoiled in the punching process and acabinet or drawer for the personal belongings of the clerk-operator. Theinvention consists of an improved cabinet embodying the three essentialrequirements outlined above. It is proposed to incorporate in thisimproved cabinet cooperatively sliding and interengaging drawers withconvenient slots and chutes for storing various types of articles in acabinet whose over all dimension is relatively small. Such articles tobe stored may include cards, memoranda, stationery, pens, pencils andpersonal belongings, all adapted to be separately stored inpredetermined compartments in accordance with the convenience of theuser.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterset forth in the following specification and appended claims, certainembodiments thereof being illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective elevation of the cabinet in assembledcondition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, taken at a different angle;

Figure 3 is a view taken from the same angle as Figure 2 with the lowerdrawer removed;

Figure 4 is a View taken from the same angle as Figure 1 with drawers ofthe cabinet shown in partially open position, the construction beingmodified to include a partition between the two drawers as distinguishedfrom the showing of Figure 3 in which there is no such partition.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the preferred type ofcabinet comprises a base I, with four uprights 2, 3, 4 and 5. Theuprights 2 and 5 carry a side wall II extending from the base I to theshelf 6, while the uprights 4 and 5 carry a side wall I2 extendingupwardly from the base I but stopping short of the shelf to leave anopening I3.

The lower drawer is adapted to slide on the base I or upon suitablerollers or guides and is provided with a facing I4 of sufiicient heightand width to cover the space between the base I, the shelf 6, and theuprights 3 and 4. It is provided with a convenient handle I5 for openingand closing the same. This drawer has two side walls I 6 and H, theformer being of a height substantially corresponding to that of thecabinet cross piece I8 and the latter wall being longer but of lesserheight than the wall I2. The end wall I9 is bevelled to correspond tothe difference in height between the two side walls. This drawer ispreferably designed as a storage container for personal belongings andalso has a narrow trough 20 suitably incorporated on the wall II.

The upper drawer has a front wall 2I, and inclined back wall 22, and twocorrespondingly bevelled side walls 23 and 24. A handle 25 on the frontwall permits of manual operation. This drawer, shown in open position inFigure 4, is closed as shown in Figures 1 and 3, by sliding the samerearwardly and upwardly as the rear wall 22 slides on the cross pieceI8. The wall 22 and the two side walls 23 and '24 are of such lengththat when the drawer is in closed position they extend outwardly throughthe space I3 of the cabinet, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This providesa readily accessible chute for receiving and storing such articles asspoiled punched cards. The space 26 left when this top drawer alone ispushed in is closed as shown in Figure 1, by the wall I6 ofthe lowerdrawer when the latter is pushed in as shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 4, I may provide a partition I0 extending diagonallybetween the bottom of the surface 22 of the upper drawer and adjacentthe walls I6 and H of the lower drawer, the partition being secured tothe uprights 2, 3, 4 and 5. This makes it possible to open the topdrawer without leaving the interior of the lower drawer itself. Figure 3shows my construction without the use of such a partition.

The uniqueness of the interfitting cabinet and drawer assembly makes forthe maximum accessibility and variety of storage spaces, whereas neitherdrawer interferes with the other. It will be appreciated that theparticular design and use mentioned in connection with the invention ismerely representative and not all inclusive.

I claim:

1. A cabinet having one side wall provided with an opening adjacent thetop thereof, a lower drawer for the cabinet having a front adapted toform one side of the cabinet when the drawer is in closed position, saiddrawer having two sides and a back, one of the sides being deeper thanthe other, an upper drawer arranged for operation in a different side ofthe cabinet and normally adapted to be above and crosswise of the saidlower drawer, the upper drawer having an upwardly inclined bottom andbeing of a greater length than the width of the cabinet, the wholearranged whereby when both of said drawers are in closed position, therear end of the said upper drawer extends through the said opening inthe said side wall to form an open chute to receive material into thedrawer while in such closed position.

2. A cabinet including a lower drawer and an upper drawer, the upperdrawer being disposed for operation in one side of the cabinet, whilethe lower drawer is disposed for operation in a different side of thecabinet, the upper drawer having sides and an upwardly inclined bottomand being of greater length than the width of the cabinet, and disposedin the cabinet above and transversely of the lower drawer, the lowerdrawer having sides, of such height as to reach nearly to the inclinedbottom of the said upper drawer, the whole being arranged whereby, whenthe said upper drawer is in closed position, the rear end thereofprojects through and beyond the cabinet to form a chute for thereception of material into the drawer while the drawer is in a closedposition.

3. A cabinet, including a lower drawer and an upper drawer, the upperdrawer being disposed for operation in one side of the cabinet, whilethe lower drawer is disposed for operation in a difierent side of thecabinet and transversely of the lower drawer, the upper drawer having afront and sides and an upwardly inclined bottom, the lower drawer havinga front and sides, one of said sides being higher than the other toconform to the inclined bottom of said upper drawer, the whole arrangedwhereby the upward inclination of the bottom of the said upper drawerpermits operative movement thereof above and transversely of the saidlower drawer, while the diiference in height or the sides of the saidlower drawer permits operative movement thereof below and transverselyof the said upper drawer.

ELVVOOD J. WAY.

